Heart Finally Felt At Peace

Having no specific destination in mind, they entered the outskirt city with a few people strolling, and the streets were not as bustling as the center part of Yang-ir.

They walked along with the people, and can visibly spot the Glazed Lake Inn's golden plaque from a distance away.

In the midst of himself, So Eun wrapped the scarf softly around his neck, feeling anxious about the public eye around them.

Although mortals couldn't sense an evil aura as ominous as the one beside him, he himself was different. The people from Tipolo sure didn't recognize him, but his instincts told him to be cautious and stay away from public attention as much as possible.

They trailed side by side, both attentions occupied. After a while of slowly strolling, So Eun looked at him and suddenly spoke, "I apologize if I ever offended you with my words,"

That made the other turn his head to look at him. "You saved me and I saved you. We are even now. You don't have to apologize."

His eyes lingered on his face with the scarf before it looked on the front, the small smile on his face disappearing and turning into a frown.

So Eun was gazing down at his feet and didn't notice the other's change of mood, and only did he see when he lifted his head to look at the other.

Han Min stopped in his tracks and his attention was firmly focused on front.

Confused with the look on his face, So Eun also stopped and gaze towards them.

From a distance away from them, were a bunch of folks gathering at the side. After he observed for a while, So Eun's eyes both widened instantly.

Revealing behind them are soldiers decked in a shining crimson plate. Patrolling and observing the people's faces they'd come across.

So Eun wouldn't forget those armors in just three days. They were sent from Yang Shen's Palace.

At the sight of them nearly closing in, he consciously covered his face again with the scarf. Then turned and leaned closer to Han Min before mumbling; "Yang Shen's lackeys came here too."

With him barely seeing anything, he didn't see the other's face before a hand grasped his soft palm.

"This way." The other spoke with a deep voice, that completely caught him off guard. The next thing he knew, he was being pulled away from the middle of the road. Han Min held his hand and strolled towards the Glazed Lake Inn.

While he was being dragged, So Eun pulled down his scarf and subtly observe the soldiers patrolling the area.

But before he'd got the time to sigh in relief, another group of soldiers suddenly appeared at the fork on the road, drawing closer and closer to them.

So Eun gasped on his scarf, but Han Min immediately turned right at the entrance of the Inn, not giving away any suspicions.

They arrived at the Inn with decent people eating on the first floor, So Eun turned his head behind to look again, with his grip on Han Min tightening.

"They are checking in here too!" Because of his uncontrollable nerves, he nearly blurted out behind him, but the other remained silent.

They stopped in front of a lady fanning herself with her hand.

"Breakfast for two." Han Min casually ordered, making So Eun whipped his head back at him.

"What? Why are we eating?!"

The woman that was dressed in a hazy blue silk robe only saw their joint hands, before her eyes halted at Han Min's face.

Seeing a customer dressed in an exquisite robe early in the day, she instantly brightened and greeted them with astonishment.

"Oh my! Young Lords! Of course, two tables for a couple! Shingqi! Get your tiny body here and attend to their orders. This way, sir."

So Eun was nearly breaking his neck to look out for the Palace Guards, and upon hearing the lady's loud voice that rang around the Inn sent a chill down his spine. A couple? Who?!

Before he'd the chance to defend himself, a round of footsteps disturbed the Inn. He tried not to risk looking back and listened instead to one of the Palace Guards speaking.

"Excuse us for the inconvenience, but have you seen this person?" Wait, so they already got his portrait? So Eun firmly set his eyes forward and looked down while covering half of his face.

The soldiers arrived at the entrance to inspect there too. So, he had no choice but to follow along.

After seconds of twisting and turning around the Inn, he found out that the one they ended up at, was incredibly lavish.

The first-class room for guests they happened to pass by, was one of their offered private dining rooms, and it varied whether they were resting in for the night or just passing by to fill one's stomach.

Looking around and inspecting everywhere, So Eun concluded the private rooms for any high-class guests are on the first floor, while the other rooms to rest in were situated upstairs.

Along the way, the woman leading them the way chattered about the Inn's best cuisines along with its best service compared to others.

And at the back of the Inn, they were brought to a small room, instead of a door dividing the room from the outside, beads of translucent pearls hanging down like a thread obscured the view.

So Eun praised the pleasant gleam of the pearls illuminating the light of the sunlight from the window and momentarily sighed in relief.

He mentally noted the words he couldn't hear from the entrance anymore. So he looked at Han Min's back and saw him muttering thanks to the woman before pulling So Eun inside.

"We'll stay here for a while and wait until they left." The other let go of his hands and also look around the dining room. Ignoring the ample warmth that lingers there.

So Eun shook his head and was stunned. The dining room was cozy and peaceful, with a single table in the middle, two sitting mats on the floor, and when they don't feel like sitting on the mats, beside the window were cushioned divans connected, just perfectly facing the space towards the table.

So Eun had his mouth slightly agape for a while and consciously pressed his lips in a thin line.

"I guess they won't stay here for too long, we could've just hidden in the back and not reserved this place. This room will be wasted along with the food."

"Who says we're not eating? The food I gave you on the temple. You didn't eat it, right?" The other was already sitting on the left cushioned mat.

His sitting posture was too familiar to him, and let himself sit on the opposite mat.

"Now that I think about it, the food that was left there was truly devastating," Although a Deity didn't have to eat every day to survive, just going back to the feast that was served for him made his stomach rumble.

Deities and Demons had the urge to feel hunger too.

"Then why did you leave and follow me?" Han Min had his eyes closed for a while before he stared toward So Eun.

His posture was no different, and even if they were safe inside the Inn, this guy right here was internally meditating again.

"Hehe, It was sad to eat alone." He played it off and awkwardly smiled at him. Han Min just watched him, and he was about to say something when the waiter knocked on the wall to announce her presence. So Eun then gladly greeted her inside.

From then moving forward, with So Eun not having a single knowledge about the dishes in Yang-ir, he let Han Min order the dish and was completely impressed with how the cuisines shone in front of them when the food was served. 

So Eun was pretty occupied in an instant and can sense the hunger bubbling in his stomach.

They dismiss the woman and gave attention to the meals--to rephrase that, So Eun was the only one immersed, while the other was watching him.

Han Min silently observed how his eyes were silently devouring the meal, with joy and fascination swimming in it. It resulted in his lips slightly forming into a smile, and after a while passed, Han Min couldn't help but say, "Start eating. You're not alone anymore."

So Eun was smiling ear to ear and when he heard him, his face seemed to brighten with the warm reflection of the sun passing through the windows.

He smiled softly at him, eyes twinkling in broad daylight.

With how things went beyond his expectations, he realized that he'd never loathe the Demon King from the start, nor despised his existence, even though he tried to discern what intentions he might have, his heart couldn't help to wonder why this person feels so familiar. 

He felt his heart surge with emotions and suddenly felt closer to him.

"I'm happy. Thank you, Han Min."

The refreshing breeze hauled the trees softly, it seeped through their window and danced with the sunlight.

For the first time in his ten years, the dream he seemed to never reach, welcomed him in a form of those familiar warm smiles and softening pairs of eyes, only then did he realize that this was real. That the person in front of him was his So Eun.

The waves of the wind stopped. The rustle of the leaves faltered, and inside the Glazed Lake Inn were two-found souls that had lived unknowingly in each other's hearts for years.